Conventional wireless communication protocols and wireless client devices that implement those protocols may be configured for wireless scanning that is passive or active. Passive scanning may comprise the wireless client device waiting to receive via one of its RF systems, a beacon frame from a wireless access point, such as a WiFi router, or the like. Active scanning may comprise the wireless client device actively attempting to locate a wireless access point by transmitting, using one if its RF systems, a probe request frame (e.g., a broadcast probe request) and waiting for probe response from a wireless access point (if any), such as the aforementioned WiFi router, for example. The conventional probe request may be transmitted on one or more allowable frequency channels, such as one or more of the IEEE 802.x frequency channels used for wireless networks (e.g., 802.11a, b, g, n, etc.), for example.
The active scanning scenario may typically require at least two devices, the wireless client device and the wireless access point. However, in some applications it may be desirable for the wireless client device to actively scan (e.g., transmit probe requests, 802.11 frame types, or pings) sans a wireless access point or without being connected with or having credentials for (e.g., password) for a wireless access point. The wireless access point may be absent, out of range, or otherwise unavailable (e.g., no access credentials) or non-responsive to the active scans transmitted by the wireless client device. Nevertheless, during active scanning, the wireless client device may be discoverable by other wireless devices due to the RF signal it is transmitting (e.g., transmission of probe requests, 802.11 frame types, pings, or other types of RF transmissions and data), for example.
Thus, there is a need for methods, systems and apparatus that may actively cause transmission of active scans and/or passively take advantage of active scans by a wireless client device to effectuate one or more actions including but not limited to discovering the wireless client device, establishing a wireless data communications link with the wireless client device, handling content on the wireless client device, and harvesting content from the wireless client device.